A draft Media Law bill will soon be presented by the provisional Myanmar Press Council (MPC) to members of the Burmese press, Council Secretary Kyaw Min Swe said at a press briefing on Saturday.

Photo: Ye Min / Mizzima

“We shall invite all media to a workshop later this month to present the Print and Media Law bill being drafted by the MPC. We shall then deliberate on all feedback and suggestions given to us and then present our bill to Parliament through the Information Ministry,” Kyaw Min Swe told Mizzima.

Press council member Thiha Saw added that the main objectives in drafting this bill were to guarantee freedom of expression, and to protect not only media persons but also the public.

The previous Information Minister drafted a media bill but it was never presented publicly. New Information Minister Aung Kyi has now taken over the drafting process and has allowed several selected journalists and media-related persons to be included in the process.

Aung Kyi said in September that the Information Ministry would make necessary modifications on this “zero draft bill” and would present it to Burmese media both at home and abroad.

MPC Chairman Khin Maung Aye told reporters on Saturday that the Provisional Council comprised 28 members and had held 10 meetings to date. He said it was also dealing with the arbitration of cases filed by news media and related organizations.